Toilet tank fill control

ABSTRACT

A fill control for a toilet tank of the type having a water supply, a fill valve operable to allow water from the water supply to enter the toilet tank, and a float control for the fill valve for closing the fill valve when the float control reaches a full position representing a full condition of the toilet tank, the fill control comprising: a float control override coupled to the float control and having an inactive condition allowing the float control to operate in a conventional way, and an active condition retaining the float control in the full position; and means for selectively retaining the float control override in the active condition. This invention is of particular utility when a first person is utilizing toilet facilities while a second person is utilizing adjacent shower facilities, thereby preventing toilet tank refilling and the undesirable resulting shower water temperature increase.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to toilet tanks, and more particularly to devices to control the refilling of toilet tanks.

BACKGROUND

[0002] As water supply to various fixtures in homes or other buildings is often provided through a series of interconnected pipes, a common problem experienced by persons in those buildings is that water consumption by one fixture negatively affects water consumption by another adjacent fixture. One widespread problem is the impact of the flushing of toilets on the water temperature of adjacent shower fixtures. By flushing the toilet fixture, cold water is directed to that purpose, with consequent undesirable impact on shower water temperature, specifically, the temperature becomes uncomfortably hot or even dangerously so. Scalding of the person using the shower facility is not uncommon in such cases.

[0003] While there have been numerous attempts to counter problems relating to toilet tank refill control, such as where water leakage is occurring, the matter of the impact of toilet tank refilling on shower water temperature has not attracted such attention. A number of commercially available products seek to address the problem by balancing the cold and hot water levels in response to supply disruption, but these solutions can be relatively expensive and may entail significant installation costs including bathroom wall breach and repair.

[0004] The present invention addresses the problem with an inexpensive toilet tank fill control that is easy to install and use. Rather than employing an expensive pressure balancing valve system, the present invention provides for selective control of the toilet tank fill valve.

SUMMARY

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a fill control for a toilet tank of the type having a water supply, a fill valve operable to allow water from the water supply to enter the toilet tank, and a float control for the fill valve for closing the fill valve when the float control reaches a full position representing a full condition of the toilet tank, the fill control comprising:

[0006] a float control override coupled to the float control and having an inactive condition allowing the float control to operate in a conventional way, and an active condition retaining the float control in the full position; and

[0007] means for selectively retaining the float control override in the active condition.

[0008] According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a fill control for a toilet tank of the type having a water supply, a fill valve operable to allow water from the water supply to enter the toilet tank, and a float control for the fill valve for closing the fill valve when the float control reaches a full position representing a full condition of the toilet tank, the fill control comprising:

[0009] a hollow adjustable brace seated on upper surfaces of the toilet tank;

[0010] a hook attached to the hollow adjustable brace; and

[0011] a cord having a first end connected to the float control and a second end for connection to the hook, the cord other than the first and second ends being housed within the hollow adjustable brace;

[0012] whereby when the second end is connected to the hook the cord biases the float control in the full position, thereby preventing refilling of the toilet tank.

[0013] According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided an improved toilet tank of the type having a water supply, a fill valve operable to allow water from the water supply to enter the toilet tank, and a float control for the fill valve for closing the fill valve when the float control reaches a full position representing a full condition of the toilet tank, wherein the improvement comprises a fill control comprising:

[0014] a float control override coupled to the float control and having an inactive condition allowing the float control to operate in a conventional way, and an active condition retaining the float control in the full position; and

[0015] means for selectively retaining the float control override in the active condition.

[0016] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided an improved toilet tank of the type having a water supply, a fill valve operable to allow water from the water supply to enter the toilet tank, and a float control for the fill valve for closing the fill valve when the float control reaches a full position representing a full condition of the toilet tank, wherein the improvement comprises:

[0017] a hook attached to an exterior surface of the toilet tank; and

[0018] a cord having a first end connected to the float control and a second end for connection to the hook;

[0019] whereby when the second end is connected to the hook the cord biases the float control in the full position, thereby preventing refilling of the toilet tank.

[0020] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention there is provided an improved toilet tank of the type having a water supply, a fill valve operable to allow water from the water supply to enter the toilet tank, and a float control for the fill valve for closing the fill valve when the float control reaches a full position representing a full condition of the toilet tank, wherein the improvement comprises:

[0021] a hollow adjustable brace seated on upper surfaces of the toilet tank;

[0022] a hook attached to the hollow adjustable brace; and

[0023] a cord having a first end connected to the float control and a second end for connection to the hook, the cord other than the first and second ends being housed within the hollow adjustable brace;

[0024] whereby when the second end is connected to the hook the cord biases the float control in the full position, thereby preventing refilling of the toilet tank.

[0025] By employing the present invention, a first person may utilize the toilet fixture while a second person utilizes the shower fixture, and the first person can then use the present invention to prevent refilling of the toilet tank when they flush the toilet fixture. The negative effect on shower water temperature is thereby avoided.

[0026] A detailed description of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is given in the following. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not be construed as limited to this embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the present invention:

[0028]FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the present invention, with the toilet tank shown in cross-section to allow a view of the toilet tank fill control; and

[0029]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the present invention showing the seating of the adjustable brace.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Referring now in detail to the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated an exemplary embodiment of the toilet tank fill control of the present invention, generally referred to by the numeral 10, for use with a toilet tank 32. The toilet tank 32 is of the type having a water supply (not shown), a fill valve (not shown) operable to allow water from the water supply to enter the toilet tank 32, and a float control (not shown in full) for the fill valve for closing the fill valve when the float control reaches a full position representing a full condition of the toilet tank. The float control comprises a float 12 on a float arm 14.

[0031] The toilet tank fill control 10 comprises a first brace member 24 and a second brace member 26 which, when joined together by a pin 28, form an adjustable brace to span the width of the toilet tank 32. The first and second brace members 24, 26 can be fitted with a number of holes to allow for adjustment to any desired variety of toilet tank widths.

[0032] As the adjustable brace is hollow, it can house within it a cord 18, as can be seen in FIG. 1. Cord 18 has a first end 20 which is connected to the float arm 14 adjacent the float 12, and then it enters the second brace member 26 at hole 30 where it is housed along most of its length until it exits the second brace member 26 at another hole 30, allowing a second end 22 of the cord 18 to protrude. This second end 22 is provided with a means for being connected to a hook 16 on the second brace member 26 (in this embodiment it is a loop structure). In this way, a lid (not shown) can be fitted to the top of the toilet tank 32 without binding the cord 18 and limiting its movement.

[0033] The utility of the present invention becomes clear in the following situation. If a first person desires to use the toilet facilities but a second person is using the adjacent shower facilities at the same time, the first person can connect the second end 22 of the cord 18 to the hook 16, thereby biasing the float 12 in an upward direction. That way, when the first person has utilized the toilet facilities and flushed out the water that was held in the toilet tank 32, the upward biasing of the float 12 will prevent water from refilling the toilet tank 32. The effect of this for the person using the shower facilities is that there is no draw on the cold water supply to the bathroom facilities beyond what is being used for the shower, and there will accordingly be no undesirable increase in the shower water temperature.

[0034] While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been described in the foregoing, it is to be understood that other embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention and are intended to be included herein. It will be clear to any person skilled in the art that modifications of and adjustments to this invention, not shown, are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention as demonstrated through the exemplary embodiment. For example, a rigid rod mechanism may be employed rather than the flexible cord 18, and a hook 16 is not the only structure capable of retaining the end of the cord 18. Also, the cord 18 need not travel within the hollow adjustable brace but may be positioned beside the adjustable brace with the latter acting to provide a space between the top surfaces of the toilet tank 32 and the toilet tank lid to allow for movement of the cord 18 therebetween. The invention is therefore to be considered limited solely by the scope of the appended claims. 

Embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
 1. A fill control for a toilet tank of the type having a water supply, a fill valve operable to allow water from the water supply to enter the toilet tank, and a float control for the fill valve for closing the fill valve when the float control reaches a full position representing a full condition of the toilet tank, the fill control comprising: a float control override coupled to the float control and having an inactive condition allowing the float control to operate in a conventional way, and an active condition retaining the float control in the full position; and means for selectively retaining the float control override in the active condition.
 2. A fill control for a toilet tank of the type having a water supply, a fill valve operable to allow water from the water supply to enter the toilet tank, and a float control for the fill valve for closing the fill valve when the float control reaches a full position representing a full condition of the toilet tank, the fill control comprising: a hollow adjustable brace seated on upper surfaces of the toilet tank; a hook attached to the hollow adjustable brace; and a cord having a first end connected to the float control and a second end for connection to the hook, the cord other than the first and second ends being housed within the hollow adjustable brace; whereby when the second end is connected to the hook the cord biases the float control in the full position, thereby preventing refilling of the toilet tank.
 3. An improved toilet tank of the type having a water supply, a fill valve operable to allow water from the water supply to enter the toilet tank, and a float control for the fill valve for closing the fill valve when the float control reaches a full position representing a full condition of the toilet tank, wherein the improvement comprises a fill control comprising: a float control override coupled to the float control and having an inactive condition allowing the float control to operate in a conventional way, and an active condition retaining the float control in the full position; and means for selectively retaining the float control override in the active condition.
 4. An improved toilet tank of the type having a water supply, a fill valve operable to allow water from the water supply to enter the toilet tank, and a float control for the fill valve for closing the fill valve when the float control reaches a full position representing a full condition of the toilet tank, wherein the improvement comprises: a hook attached to an exterior surface of the toilet tank; and a cord having a first end connected to the float control and a second end for connection to the hook; whereby when the second end is connected to the hook the cord biases the float control in the full position, thereby preventing refilling of the toilet tank.
 5. An improved toilet tank of the type having a water supply, a fill valve operable to allow water from the water supply to enter the toilet tank, and a float control for the fill valve for closing the fill valve when the float control reaches a full position representing a full condition of the toilet tank, wherein the improvement comprises: a hollow adjustable brace seated on upper surfaces of the toilet tank; a hook attached to the hollow adjustable brace; and a cord having a first end connected to the float control and a second end for connection to the hook, the cord other than the first and second ends being housed within the hollow adjustable brace; whereby when the second end is connected to the hook the cord biases the float control in the full position, thereby preventing refilling of the toilet tank. 